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Private pregnancy ultrasound scans

Pregnancy is a very special time for the expectant mother and her family.

The excitement of seeing your developing baby on a scan is one of the high points of antenatal care and we provide a variety of top quality, expert scans at all stages of pregnancy.

We use the most up-to-date ultrasound machines, in comfortable surroundings, with time to look at your baby. We encourage patients to bring a family member or two and recommend that you keep your midwife informed of your visit to the clinic. We will provide you with printed images of your ultrasound scan.

Who performs the scans?

All scans are performed by advanced practice sonographers with experience in obstetric ultrasound scanning. The sonographers are all HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) registered.

What happens during the scan?

The scan will take around five to ten minutes. Nearly all scans after 10 weeks can be done through your tummy. For this scan, you will be asked to come to your appointment with a full bladder. The sonographer will put some gel on your tummy and move a small handheld device, called a transducer, over your skin to get views of your baby.

If your uterus is very deep in the pelvis or if you're overweight, you may be offered a vaginal scan, which can get nearer to your baby.

Can the early pregnancy scan tell exactly how many weeks pregnant I am?

One of the reasons for the scan is to work out how many weeks pregnant you are, and to estimate your due date. The length of your pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP), even though you don't actually conceive until 14 days after that, and later than this if your cycle is longer than 28 days.

The LMP is used because most women know when their last period was, but may not know when they actually conceived. If you do know the conception date, this is classed as day 14 and not day one.

If you have an irregular cycle, or if you've recently been taking the contraceptive pill, working out the date from your LMP isn't a very accurate method. Scans are more accurate than using the LMP and, if the scan date differs from your period dates, the scan date will be used.

The scan date is usually later than the period date, so accurate dating has been found to reduce the number of women having labour induced because their babies are overdue. It may also help you avoid feeling disappointed if your baby is 'late'.

Why should I have a growth scan?

Usually, a scan in the third trimester is done to check how well your baby is growing. If the measurements are all within normal limits, your baby is likely to be growing well. You may be advised to have a second scan in few weeks' time to ensure that the rate of growth of your baby is satisfactory. Serial scans can track your baby's growth, and are more useful than a single scan.

What checks are carried out during a growth scan?

The sonographer will check how well your baby is growing by measuring:

the circumference of their head

the circumference of their abdomen

the length of their thigh bone

the amount of amniotic fluid around them.

The sonographer will also check what position your baby is in, for example head-down or breech position (bottom or feet-first). If your baby is smaller than expected, there is a possibility that they may still be small when they're born. If so, they'll be described as having a low birth weight.

If there is any concern about the wellbeing of your baby, you'll have a Doppler assessment (an ultrasound that looks at the movement of blood in blood vessels). This checks how well the placenta is working by measuring the flow of blood between the placenta and your baby.

How long is my appointment slot?

We allocate half an hour for each scan. However, we make appointment slots 10 minutes apart so that if the baby is not in a good position to scan, we have time to allow the mother to walk around whilst getting on with another scan. This is this reason that you may be kept waiting a while beyond your scan appointment, but please understand that it is because we want to achieve the very best results for everyone.

Please also note, however, that if you are late for your appointment slot, we may not be able to allocate the full 30 minutes - so we ask that you get there on time. No refunds are given if you do not arrive for your scan.

How much will it cost?

Ultrasound scans cost £60 per scan. If your baby is in the wrong position, you can pay for a re-scan which costs £30.

Can I bring someone with me?

Yes - adults and children are welcome. Due to limited space in the scan room, we ask that you don't bring more than four people.

Can I get a refund if I cancel my appointment?

If you cancel your appointment at least two working days in advance, you will be given a full refund minus an administration fee of 10%. If you cancel with less than two days' notice, the fee is not refundable.

Contact us

For general enquires, please call 023 8120 5287 and leave a message. We'll get back to you as soon as we can.